Electric railway signaling system.



No. 892,359. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

Y. BURGESS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

No. 892,359. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

Y. BURGESS. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM..

APPLIOATION'IILED SEPT. 24, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JIH "74 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

YORKE BURGESS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, BY RENE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO AMERICAN SIGNAL COMPANY, ,OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Application flled september 24, 1907. Serial No. 394,388.

ington, District of Columbia, have invented anew-and useful Electric Railway Signaling System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrical railway signaling systems of that general class in which each train is provided with a dynamo or other source of electrical energy, and in which continuous bare conductors are employed along the whole length of the line for the pur ose of continuously connecting the trains, t e conductors ofi'ering gradually decreased resistance as two trains thus serially connected approach each other until the current is suflicient to overcome the resistance and thus energize the signals on the" trams. 'In this general class of devlces, it is comes necessary for the engineer to change the switch. This places the system at a disadvantage inasmuch as the engineermay forget to change the switch and thus render I the signaling system useless, and the danger is materially increased where from habit the engineer relies on the warning signals to ad- 'vise him of danger.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a system 111' which pole changing switches are rendered unnecessary, the system being operable for trains running in any direction, either forward or backward.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of this class in which a pair of current conductors are arranged overhead in the form of trolley wires or on the roadbed in the form of a third rail, and are engaged by two separate traveling contacts carried by each train, these current conductors zigzagging or crossing each other at intervals, so that each of the traveling contacts will be in engagement with one of the conductors for a limited period, and then in engagement with the other conductor for a corresponding pcriod, these contacts alternating and the shifts occurring with sulllcicnt frequency in the length of the latter to prevent the approach of trains within a dangerous distance without giving warning.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of arts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes may be made in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure without departing from the s irit or sacrificing any of the advantages of t 1e invention.

in the accompanying. drawings:Figure 1 is a erspectiveview of an electric railway signa ing system constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. Fig, 2 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the invention.

Similar numerals oi reference are employed to. indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the present case each of the trains A and B is shown as provided with a known system of wiring and signaling devices. These include a dynamo 10 from one side of which leads a current conducting wire 11. From the o posite side of the dynamo leads a wire 12, t iat is connectcd to a rheostat 13, designed to adjust the distance within which the system becomes eii'cctive l'or' signaling purposes. From the rheostnt leads a wire 14 to a group of incandescent lights 15, and from these leads a wire 16. The two wires 11 and 16 are connected to traveling contacts 1S and 19. Also connected in this circuit is a shunt 20 including a high resistance 21, preferably in the form of a lamp, and in the shunt is also connected a relay magnet 22 which, when the shunt is energized, attracts an armature 23, that closes a local circuit 24 with a storage battery 25, this battery 25 energizing a solenoid 26 that operates some train controlling device, such, for instance, as the engineers brake valve, or the steam cut off. This wiring system is so arranged that when trains approach each. other within a sullicient distance to allow the dynamos to overcome the resistance of the main line conductors, the lamps 15 ,will glow faintly at first, and then with gradually increasing hrillinncy as the trains near each other, and the resistance oi'xthe lino decreases. If the engineer fails to heed the warning and the trains approach within such distance that collision is imminent, the high resistance 21 of the shunt will be overcome and therelay magnet 22 will beenergized, thereby closing the local circuit through the storage battery 25 and applying the train controlling device.

The invention in the present instance resides in the arrangement of the continuous conductors-30 and 31, and it will be observed that these conductors cross each other at intervals, so that the contact 18 will be in engagement with conductor 30 for a limited period, and then with conductor 31 and again with conductor 30, while the contact 19 will engage the conductors 31, 30, 31, in alternation. I

The stretch of the conductors between intervals of crossing is so short that it will be practically impossible for two trains to a proach so near each other as to collide without getting a warning signal, and it will be observed that no pole changers or similar manually operable devicesare'employed, so that neglect of the engineer or other person cannot render the system inoperative.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the trolley wires are formed in sections, and these sections are arranged. in Zigzag order. Each section of trolley wire 30, 31 occupies a position first to the right and then to the left and the full length of each section is such that two trains may be in contact thereavith at the same time without danger of collision, although under no circumstances can they approach within a distance of less than onehalf the length of a section without the signals being dis )layed on both trains and the length of this half section is ample to give suflicientwarning of the danger of collision. In wiring, the positive side of each dynamo is connected to the traveling contact '18 and the negative sideyis connected by a wire40 and traveling contact 41 to the wire 31 on the opposite side. From the wire 40 extends a Wire l2 leading to the rheostat and through the other portions of the local apparatus in the same manner as previously described. In this case the wire 16 which leads from the signals 15 and the relay magnet 22 is connected to a traveling contact 19 that is in engagement with one of the trafiic'rails :0, the latter in this instance I constituting the return conductor.

1 It will be seen that a current from the dyout receivinglwarning.

wire 40 back to the dynamo 10. In this case the dynamo of one train will energize the signals of both trains, and two trains can not approach within a dangerous distance with- At the same time it is possible for the engineer to determine" whether'the signal is from a train approaching in one direction, or a train approaching in the other direction. To accomplish this, switches 50 are introduced in the wires lead- 'ing from the trolley wheels, and when the signal is received in the cab, the engineer can open --one or other of the switches to determine whether a signal is being sent by his own engine to a train ahead, or is being received from a train behind.

I claim 1. In electric railway signaling systems, a source of electrical ener y, a signaling means on each train, a pair oi 'conductors crossing each other at intervals to present portions of their lengths alternately on opposite sides, and a pair of traveling contacts arranged on each train and engaging said conductors, each contact engaging the conductors in alternation. I I

2. In electric railway signaling systems, a source of energy, and a signaling means on each train, a pair of traveling contacts on each train, and a pair ofcontinuous conductors, said conductors crossing each other at intervals throughout the length of the system, so that each contact will engage said conductors in alternating order.

3. In electric railway signaling systems, a

source of electrical energy, a signal means on each train, a pair of traveling contacts on each. train, and a plurality of conductors each arranged to be alternately in the path of both contacts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. YORKE BURGESS.

Witnesses:

. JNo. E. PARKER, WM. J. NEALE. 

